Ralph Temple, Cyclist, Champion Trick Rider, from World's Champions, Series 2 (N29) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1888

Editor: Here we have Ralph Temple, Cyclist, Champion Trick Rider, a colored-pencil drawing and print from 1888 by Allen & Ginter Cigarettes. I'm struck by its straightforward composition; it seems like a very typical portrait, with a vignette of a trick rider and penny-farthing, as if in afterthought, set above. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: I am interested in the spatial relationship between the primary figure and the secondary cycling vignette. Observe how the head of the primary portrait aligns, both vertically and horizontally, to establish symmetry and a focal point, demanding viewer attention. This symmetry, while present, isn't absolute. Do you note how the cyclist above isn’t similarly grounded, which could unbalance the structure if the background shading weren’t so expertly achieved? Editor: The shading certainly does work well to pull both focal points back into register! Is there something particularly meaningful about that kind of structural balance? Curator: Yes. Formalist readings find meaning in compositional structures and the internal logic of the artwork itself. Here, the balanced composition speaks to the athlete’s controlled skill. This print presents a play between the stillness of portraiture and the implied dynamism of athletic skill through asymmetrical symmetry. This can be viewed as a metonymic structure that encapsulates a set of balanced skills, which together are greater than their individual counterparts. The colors are equally evocative, their careful harmony leading one through each layer of the image with subtle shifts. What do you see as their effect on your reading? Editor: It does have a cohesive palette. The yellows really unify the two distinct parts of the image. Thinking about the athlete’s skill and symmetry has given me a fresh perspective. I hadn’t considered how those principles extend from the cyclist’s body, out to affect the formal elements of the image itself. Curator: Precisely. By examining these arrangements, we can access richer interpretations of its formal significance and technique.